Trials of Death Again!
by Anadria
Summary: Darren Shan is back on his throne as a Vampire Prince. But he doesn't feel like he deserves this place. All those years ago, when he had to prove he was a worthy vampire, he failed. He now is going to do the Trials again.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

My name is Darren Shan. I used to be a normal, human boy. That changed after I went to a freak show with my best friend Steven. One of the performers, Mr. Crepsley turned out to be a vampire. Steven asked him to turn him into a vampire, but Mr. Crepsley refused because Steven had bad blood. Later I stole Mr. Crepsley 's performing and deadly poisonous spider. The spider bit my friend Steven and in order to save him, I had to become a half-vampire and Mr. Crepsley 's assistant. Steven thought Mr. Crepsley and I had planned this all and swore to hunt me and Mr. Crepsley down to kill us.

I had a lot of difficulties adjusting to my life as a half-vampire. I missed my family, my friends, having nobody else but Mr. Crepsley, whom I hated for what he'd done to me. To make up for that a little bit, he decided we'd join the Cirque Du Freak, the freak show I went to see with Steven. I had great times there. Helping Mr. Crepsley perform with Madam Octa, the performing spider, doing chores with my best friend Evra Von, a snake boy. Eventually I got used to my non-human life.

But then Mr. Crepsley and I had to go to Vampire Mountain, to go to the Council, which was held every 12 years. Two little people joined us on the journey. Little People were servants from Mr. Tiny, a weird guy, who was said to have a lot of power and whose name formed Destiny if you shortened his first name. One of the little people died on the way to Vampire Mountain. The other, Harkat Mulds told us he had a message for the vampire princes.

The message said that a vampaneze lord would rise. The vampaneze used to be normal vampires but they tore themselves away from them because of different ideas. Vampaneze always kill when they drink blood, something vampires think is barbarous. Vampaneze have purple skins, hair and nails because of the huge amounts of blood they drink. If this vampaneze lord would rise, there'd be a war between vampaneze and vampires, which the vampires would lose. They'd be wiped out forever. There was only one chance left, namely three vampires would have three chances to kill the vampaneze lord. If they succeeded, vampires would survive. Mr. Crepsley and I turned out to be two of those vampires, so we went on our way where the vampire prince Vancha March joined us on our hunt for the vampaneze lord. By the way, at that time, I was a Vampire Prince myself already too. When I first got to vampire mountain, I had to prove that I was a worthy vampire by fulfilling five trials. I didn't succeed in the fourth one, so I had to be killed. But instead I ran away and discovered the presence of vampaneze in Vampire Mountain. I went back to warn the vampires about this. The vampaneze were defeated and everyone agreed that I had to be saved because I warned them about the vampaneze. But the rules were clear: if you failed a trial, you had to be killed. The only way to save me, was to make me a Vampire Prince.

Later on, it turned out that Steven, my former best friend, was the Vampaneze Lord. a huge fight broke loose in which Steven and I killed each other.

I know I was killed, because I saw a glimpse of paradise, the place where vampires go when they die and if they lived well. I saw my old friends, who'd died, but then I was torn away from that place and returned to earth. Apparently, my time hadn't come yet.

I returned to Vampire Mountain, to take place on my throne again, where, years later, I still am. However, whether I'll still be here for long, I don't know. For I decided to finish that, which I failed to do years ago: the Trials of Initiation. I'll prove that I'm a worthy prince and if I fail again, I won't run away this time!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I was sitting on my throne in the Hall of Princes, newt to two of my fellow Vampire Princes. The three of us were looking to the hundreds of vampires entering the hall. All of them glimpsing to us, sitting on our thrones, while entering, but focusing on the one in the middle, me, looking at me with a curious look in their eyes, wondering what the youngest vampire prince had to announce, that was so important to invite all the vampires to the Hall of Princes. From the corners of my eyes I noticed the same curious looks from the other two princes. The fourth throne was empty. Vancha March had set to wandering around the world again. It was a rule that not all vampire princes could be in the same room together, in case something happened. Vancha liked wildlife more than sitting on a throne anyway. He probably would be discovering the world too if that rule hadn't existed.

Vampires kept entering. It had been a long time that this many of our kind had attended Council. I couldn't help thinking about the first time I attended Council, together with Mr Crepsley. _Mr Crepsley_, I thought, _my good old fellow._ I knew he was doing well though, in Paradise. I had seen him there when I caught a glimpse of it, together with Gavner Purl, another old friend, making jokes about each other. I smiled, but at the same time felt a tear running down my cheek. I swept it away with the back of my right hand and banned the thoughts. There was no point in crying, for it wouldn't bring them back. So I concentrated on the last vampires entering the hall, talking excitedly like all the others. The guards closed the doors and immediately every single vampire in the hall became silent. I felt the looks of the vampires staring at me, excitedly and curious to know whatever it was that I had to say. It made me feel powerful, like I could decide over what destiny had in mind for them. However, it was more accurate to say that, when I would speak the words, I somehow decided over my own destiny: live or die?

One of the us serving vampires came walking towards the stairs leading to our thrones. He walked up on it, stopped on the third step, so he was standing higher than the other vampires, but lower than us, and turned round so he faced the others. "Master Shan is going to speak," he announced, then disappeared in the mass, while I stood up.

I'd decided not to give an entire speech, as was the habit. They were boring, annoying and awful to listen to. No, just the plain message would have to do. I had practised the message very often, but while I spoke, nothing of what I had practised came out. The words, the phrases lived their own lives and formed spontaneously. "I do not agree with my destiny." Immediately after I had spoken the words, I saw puzzled looks everywhere around me. I did not let them deceive me and just went on. "I mean I do not agree with what destiny has brought me in the past." There were less puzzled looks around me now, but I could see no one really understood what I meant. "Years ago, I had to prove to all of you that I was a worthy vampire by fulfilling the Trials of Initiation. I failed, yet received a place on this throne as Vampire Prince. In the meanwhile I have become a full vampire, yet I still haven't proven to you that I am worth to be called a vampire. That's why I will take the Trials again." All the vampires gasped together, as if they were one. I heard a voice from behind me. "Darren, you don't have to do this." It was the warm, comforting voice from Mika Ver Leth. "You have proven to us more than once that you are a worthy vampire and a worthy Prince."

I turned to face him. "But not by succeeding in the Trials of Initiation," I rejected.

"Which you don't have to do anymore now," spoke Rossan Lunt, the other Prince, who had been appointed after the death of the oldest Vampire Prince Paris Skyle.

"Not for you, maybe. But I do have to do this for myself. It has been bothering me for a while now that I still have not proven myself in the way I had to do that the very first time I came here."

"But Darren, if you fail, you will…"

"I will die. I know that. And believe me, I will not run away again."

"You had better not," mumbled one of the vampires behind me. I ignored those words and waited for someone else to say something.

"We won't be able to change your mind, will we?" Mika said.

"No indeed, you won't. Whether it is with or without your approval, I will do those damn Trials."

"You are a stubborn one, Master Shan, but if this is your will, than so be it."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said dryly. And with these words, I sat down again.

The vampires in the hall had been silent, listening to the conversation between me and the other Princes, with great interest. Now this conversation was over, they burst into enthusiastic talking, glad they had come to Council this time, because exciting things like this rarely happened here. I could see some of them placing bets already on how long I would last. I smiled. This was what they lived for: excitement, adventure and danger, and I had brought them exactly those three things. I saw the same man, who had announced that I was going to speak, mounting the first three steps of the stairs leading towards our thrones again. "Master Ver Leth is going to speak," he yelled over the noise of the talking mass, then disappeared again. The hall became silent when Mika stood up.

"Master Shan has decided to take the Trials. I accept this quite reluctantly, but it is his will. Exactly seventy-two hours from now, he will pull his first Trial." Mika sat down again.

Soon the Hall was empty. I was staring in front of me, not looking at something specifically.

"So you really are planning on taking the Trials." It wasn't a question. I turned my head towards Rossan and nodded. "What do you think I have been doing for the last couple of months, when I wasn't present here?"

"What _were_ you doing?"

"Practicing of course. Every single one of them."

"On your own?"

"No, Vanez helped me."

"Just like he did the first time you took them," Mika said.

"Indeed. He did a good job then."

"You failed," Rossan said sharply.

"That wasn't his mistake. Just mere bad luck with the order of the Trials."

"If you say so."

"We all know that you think I'm not a worthy Prince."

"Darren, do not say such things."

"I do say them, because it is true, Mika." I could see by the look on Rossan 's face that I indeed was right. "I hope you will think better of me when I complete the Trials successfully."

"_If_ you complete the Trials successfully would be a better way to speak."

"Please. Let's not behave this way. We have to give the good example to our tribe. You can merely call this the good example. Darren is absolutely a worthy Prince. If you are not convinced, I am sure he _will_ prove it to you now."

"Thank you, Mika," I said. The discussion was over, but I could not ban it from my head. Rossan 's words kept coming back to my memories, giving me a very uncomfortable feeling. What if I did fail? After all, the Trials were dangerous and I had failed in fulfilling them before. _No!_ I banished the thought about failing from my mind. It had been, like Mika had said, mere bad luck in the order of the Trials. And I had been very young at that time. Also I had been a half-vampire, not a full one like I was now. I could have succeeded at that time, so why wouldn't I be able to do that now? I glimpsed to Rossan, who was staring in front of him looking angry and clearly as far away in his thoughts as I was. _Asshole!_ I couldn't help thinking the word. I hadn't been very glad when he was chosen to become a Prince, but everyone else _had been_, so I couldn't do anything but accept it, unless I wanted to turn the entire clan against me.

Through the course of my training for the Trials, I had learned from Vanez, that most vampires had turned against Rossan in the meanwhile. He really wasn't such a gifted Prince. He had looked promising when he was chosen, but if there was one prince, who hadn't proven himself yet, it definitely was him.

"Can I leave for a while?" I asked to no-one in particular.

"What are you going to do?"

"I want to prepare some more for my Trails," I said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't complete truth either. I just wanted to talk to Vanez.

"Of course," Mika said, smiling at me.

"Have I scared you?" Rossan asked slyly.

"No you haven't," I barked. "I just want to learn doing them with one hand tied to my back." _Take that_, I thought. I could see he didn't have an answer to that and I definitely could swear I had heard Mika coughing to hide his laughter. "I'll see you in a while." And with these words I stood up, left the Hall of Princes and went looking for Vanez Blane.

Vanez was sitting in the dinner hall, talking with some old friends of his, laughing out loud. I didn't want to disturb him chatting with his friends. So I turned round, not knowing what I should do now. Returning to the Hall of Princes would make Rossan feel victorious, and I didn't want that to happen. Instead I decided to take a walk through the many tunnels of Vampire Mountain, one of my favourite occupations.

I didn't pay attention to where I was going. I just let my feet drag me wherever _they_ wanted to go. Quite a tricky thing to do, 'cause one could get easily lost in the many tunnels of Vampire Mountain, but I knew that wherever my feet brought me, I would find the way back to the Halls. I had wandered through these tunnels so many times already, trying to discover new places all the time, and not once, I had failed to return. It wouldn't happen now either. I just let my thoughts wander through my head, the same way I was wandering through the tunnels. Just let them lead their own life, as I let my feet live their own. The most ridiculous plans to get rid of Rossan popped into my head. None of them good enough, but it was fun just thinking about them, seeing Rossan suffer each one of them in my head. I couldn't help smiling.

A deafening noise made me wake up from my thoughts. I looked around and it took me a while to realize where my feet had brought me: The Game Halls. Dozens of vampires were challenging each other to fight in different kinds of games. Some were seriously wounded, but didn't care and just went on with another challenge. I knew Vanez would be around here, but I couldn't spot him. He must have been in one of the other two game halls. I spent some time watching the vampires fight each other. One almost lost an eye and I could here the watchers yell in disappointment that he didn't really lost it. In the end, he left with a serious cut in his arm and some bruises. But some time later, I saw him in another game, so whatever he had, it wasn't serious.

Someone tapped on my right shoulder. At first I thought it was someone who wanted to challenge me, but I was lucky. It was Vanez.

"Master Shan, what a surprise to see you here. Are you up for a game?"

"Vanez." I greeted. "No, I was just walking about and I ended up here."

Vanez laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Nothing." But I could see that there _was_ something funny. "Shouldn't you be with your fellow princes?"

"Nah, I needed a break."

"A break?"

"Well, actually I just couldn't stand sitting next to Rossan for an extra minute anymore."

"You really don't like him, do you?"

"Really," I said sarcastically. "I bet he's meeting up with some of his friends right now, betting against me."

"Why would he?"

"Because he _hopes_ I will fail."

"He's a fellow prince. Why would he want you to fail?"

"Because that would prove him right. That I'm not a worthy prince."

Vanez laughed again. "He's the right one to think stuff like that. He's the only incapable prince. The only one we've ever had, actually. Well mate, I'll make sure you won't fail… again."

He waited some time before he said that last word. I smiled. "Are you sure you don't want to try one?" He pointed towards one of the games.

"No, I'd better not. Better be fit for my Trials. By the way, what will happen if I draw a Trial I had to do last time?"

"You'll just take it again."

I nodded. "That would be positive, right?"

"Of course it would be. You know them already, so they should be more easy than the other ones."

"Keep your fingers crossed then."

"I definitely will. I have to go now. Unlike you I am going to try one." I smiled again. Vanez turned round and went to the first vampire he spotted to challenge him for a game. I saw them taking off, looking for something they could do.

I started to walk to the doors of the hall. I'd better returned to the Hall of Princes. I had been away for a while already. I looked back once more, to see whether Vanez had found a game. I saw him hanging high up on a rope, trying to make the other vampire fall from the rope he was hanging on. I remembered the game. I had tried it once before, on my first Council. Then I left, returning to my fellow Princes, hoping silently that Rossan had dropped that in the meanwhile.

He hadn't. When I entered the Hall, I saw him sitting on his throne, proudly. _Crap!_ I thought. Why did my fantasies never come true? Mika smiled when he saw me. I walked up to my throne and sat down again. I looked straight forward, so I wouldn't have to see Rossan.

"You've been gone for a while," Mika stated.

"I know. I lost track of time."

"That happens. So, how is you're 'I-will-do-the-trials-with-one-hand-tied-to-my-back-thing' going?"

I smiled and saw from the corner of my eye how Rossan at once got interested in our chat. "Very well," I said. "I'm actually thinking of adding a blindfold too."

Mika laughed out loud and I couldn't help smiling myself too. Rossan didn't seem all that happy with us mocking him though. He sniffed disapprovingly. "You'll stop joking when you fail one of the tasks," he murmured under his breath, not meaning to be heard.

"I heard that," I said angrily, throwing an angry look at him.

"Unfortunately you did," he answered.

I looked away. "Mika, doesn't there happen to be a task named 'kill your fellow prince'?"

He chuckled. "Not that I know off, but since you're a Prince, it's always open as an option for a new task." He winked. "We can always use some new ones, since there are some which can't be done anymore."

"Good, I put this one in as an option."

"Very funny," grumbled Rossan.

"You're doing this yourself, you know. If you wouldn't keep saying that I will surely fail, I don't have to say such stuff."

"What else can I do."

"What!" I screamed. "You could support me for example, like every other vampires does, so it can't be that hard."

"Why would I support you when I'm sure that's useless because you will fail."

"What makes you so sure about the fact that I will fail."

He didn't know what to say now. "Just… I just know it."

"Tss," I hissed.

"Guys please, be a little bit nice to each other," Mika said in the moment of silence between us. "We have to give the good example."

"No one can see us here," Rossan said.

"That doesn't mean we don't have to be a little bit nice to each other. Darren is perfectly well capable of fulfilling the Trials and Darren, don't let him make you angry. That's exactly what he wants."

I silently agreed with his words, yet wanted to leave again. I didn't want to spend more time next to the bastard named Rossan who was sitting next to me. But it would be a sign of defeat if I'd leave now, so I reluctantly stayed where I was, trying to ignore Rossan and holding on a forced conversation with Mika about how Council was going. Rossan didn't take part in the conversation, which was fine enough for me. The less I had to talk to him, the better.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Darren Shan, are you sure you won't to pursue to do the Trials of Initiation?"

I stood in the Hall of Princes in front of Mika and Rossan, which felt strange, knowing that my usual place was next to them. Soon, I would have to pull my first Trial. In order to control whether I knew what I was doing, the two Princes in front of me first had to ask some questions. "I am sure that I want to take them," I said, sounding more sure about it than I actually felt. It was drawing closer now, which made me nervous.

"You know what will happen if you fail?"

"I will be guided to the Hall of Death where I will be executed."

"Indeed. You still want to pursue?"

"I still want to go on with this."

"Then take a step forward." I did as he said, leaving only inches between us. He had a bag in his hand. I knew there were stones in it with numbers on it. Those numbers were related to a task. The number on the stone I pulled, would be task I had to fulfil. The stones were checked, to make sure none were missing and put back in the bag.

"Pull a stone," Mika said. I reached forward, put my hand in the bag and pulled the stone out my hand touched first.

I gave it to Mika. "Number 53, The Wall of Death."

I nodded. I had went through the Trials with Vanez, so I knew what the Wall of Death was. I turned round and walked to Vanez who was sitting on the first row of the crowded Hall of Princes. I would take the Trial immediately. I was prepared for it, more preparation time wouldn't help me. The Wall of Death was a frozen waterfall somewhere deep inside Vampire Mountain. The Trial was to climb it without any help of climbing devices and others, which seemed easy on first sight, but the name of the trial wasn't called Wall of _Death_ without a reason. The official name was 'the Frozen Falls', but since of all vampires who had taken the Trial only two had succeeded, the name had informally been changed to 'Wall of Death'. So it wasn't a very promising start.

"You can prepare for the task for a couple of minutes," Mika said. "When you're ready, we'll go to the place where the Trial will be taken." Vanez and I took off.

"Are you worried," Vanez asked.

"Yes and no. It is a fact that not many have succeeded, but then it's up to me to prove that it _is_ possible to fulfil this task."

Vanez smiled. "That's the spirit, Darren." I smiled, making me look more confident then I felt. The one time we had practised this task, I had fallen down after I had climbed a couple of feet. The waterfall was extremely crumbly, because the ice wasn't very thick, just a couple of inches. Of course our nails were strong enough to pierce through the ice to climb, but the ice could crumble very easily, so you had to be very careful.

"Are you ready, Darren?" Vanez asked.

I sighed heavily once and nodded. "I am."

"Then lets go. There's no use in postponing it, it'll only make you more nervous, which is deadly in this trial."

"Could you please not use any word relating to 'death'," I said half serious half joking. "It reminds me of the stakes in the Hall of Death which isn't very encouraging."

Vanez laughed out loud. "Sorry," he choked, still laughing.

"What's so funny about that."

"Nothing, it's just an inside joke of mine."

"Thanks for sharing," I mumbled, making sure Vanez couldn't here it. We then walked on in silence which I liked since I was trying to concentrate. We didn't pass any vampires on our way to the waterfall. They probably were all there already, gathering in the huge hall where the waterfall was located. They would all want to see how I got through this Trial, _if_ I got through it. When I entered the Hall every single one of them made the Death's Touch Sign. Even though the Hall was situated somewhere in the middle of Vampire Mountain it was extremely light in here. The walls were covered with the fluorescent moss that was hanging on most of the walls of Vampire Mountain, making torches unnecessary. The walls were very rough, not alike the walls in most of the Halls which were smooth. This Hall was more of an extremely large cave, without stalactites and stalagmites.

Mika was standing in front of the waterfall, which looked huge to me. A quick glimpse at it, and I immediately felt as if the Trial just was impossible to do. I walked towards him, Vanez only a few paces behind me.

"Welcome, Master Shan," Mika welcomed me.

I nodded, not feeling up to talking, but glad that it wasn't Rossan standing there. He'd probably stayed in the Hall of Princes.

"You know what's expected from you?"

"I have to climb the waterfall, up to the top. The moment my feet leave the ground, I can't touch the ground with any part of my body anymore until I have reached the top and fulfilled the Trial."

"That's a good summary indeed," Mika smiled reassuringly. "Then there's nothing left for me to do but wish you good luck and watch."

I nodded, while he walked away to give me some space. I looked up. The falls stretched out above me, I barely could see the top, making me realize how high it actually was. The ice was smooth as can be. I dug the fingernails of my right hand in it, to test how thick it was. I had bad luck, the ice was less thick than usually, making it more probable to crumble. I hoped it would be able to carry might weight. I would have to be very careful and test my every movement carefully before going any higher.

I shuffled a little bit to the right, so I could start at a clear point. I inhaled deeply once and then dug my fingernails in the ice. When I was sure that the ice would hold, I did the same with the nails of my other hand. I carefully started to climb higher and higher, testing each of my movements carefully before leaning my entire weight on my hands or feet, in order not to make the ice crumble.

The only noise I could hear, was the digging of my nails into the ice, and the sounds of my climbing. Beneath me, every vampire was watching me with held breath, waiting for me to reach the top… or to fall down. I tried not to think about the last possibility, in order not to tempt fate.

As I climbed higher I tried not to look down. Vanez had warned me for that. Looking down was a mistake that had led to the failure of many vampires. We didn't fear heights, after all they didn't kill us, but the Wall of Death was high enough to make you swallow at the least, hesitate. The vampires who had taken this Trial before me who had hesitated, had all died because they had stuck to the same patch of ice for just that little bit too long. The ice wasn't strong enough to carry their weight for that long. It had crumbled, they'd fallen and over was the Trial. There was another thing Vanez had warned for. He'd repeated it time after time. It was this that went wrong most often. In fact, Vanez's exact warning had been: "Don't do this to yourself. It has led to the failure and death of every single vampire that perished at this Trial ad who hadn't let himself been caught by looking down."1And I now started to understand why it had led this many vampires to their grave. At first, I'd thought it was a stupid warning… who would let himself be caught by something stupid like this. But I realised now that his warning _had_ been a good one. This was something that just happened, it went automatic. I also felt the urge to do it and I would have if Vanez hadn't warned me for it, if I hadn't been paying attention not to do it. The higher I climbed and the closer the top of the falls came near, the more I had the urge to climb faster to reach the top sooner. I wanted this to be over and exactly that was the dangerous thing to do. Climbing faster would mean climbing less careful, not testing the patches of ice you were planning on supporting on well enough. Not controlling my every movement with the greatest care, just to see whether the ice could carry my weight, would mean that through my own stupidity the ice would crumble and cause me to fall… and die.

So, I focused on keeping it slow, not to make this mistake. If I had to die here, it would be after I'd tried everything to reach the top without doing anything stupid.

I looked up to see how far up the falls I was. To my own surprise I had covered about three quarters of the distance already. I was higher up the falls than most vampires had been before they failed. But I didn't start hoping yet, I wasn't there yet, not at all. There was still a long way to go, anything could still go wrong.

It was as if the Vampire Gods had caught this last thought of mine, because at once, without any warning, the ice around my right hand crumbled, even though I'd tested it carefully. I caught the shock and could hold myself in place. But before I managed to dig my fingernails back into the ice, the ice around my right foot crumbled too, caused by the shock my almost-fall had given. I was out of luck and this time I couldn't hold myself anymore and I started sliding down. The vampires far down gasped. For a split second I let my thoughts slip. It was over. I would survive the fall, but I would be led to the Hall of Death immediately. I had done the best I could, but the task hadn't gotten it's name for no reason. I was stupid to have thought that I could fulfil this task. But then I pulled myself back together. It _wasn't_ over yet, not as long no part of my body had touched the ground. I could still succeed. With all the force I had I dug my nails into the ice. At first, I slipped down with the same speed, leaving deep trails in the ice, causing more ice to fall down. But then I slowed down until eventually I hung completely still. I waited, expecting the ice to crumble again. Minutes passed without me making any movement. I could feel the tension in the Hall and I knew every single vampire was watching with held breath. At last I hesitatingly moved my right hand a couple of inches higher up, testing the ice even more careful then I had been doing before. But… it wasn't over yet. I could still become the third vampire ever to succeed in this Trial. So, I started to climb again as if nothing had happened, but alert for any weak point in the ice. It was strange to realise that I hadn't even dropped down _that_ much. It gave me new hope. Thanks to my superfast vampire reactions, I didn't have to climb too far anymore, even not after falling down. I shifted some feet to the right, so I wouldn't cross the same weak point in the ice again, that had caused my fall. Feeling even less comfortable than before, I climbed on. After a while, I looked up again and I realized I was almost there. Yet, I kept my two feet on the ground, figuratively speaking at least, I wasn't there yet. But, there was hope and I knew that the vampires that were watching me from far beneath me, felt this hope too. It was almost as if it was throbbing off the walls of the cave and it gave me extra energy to go on. I was glad that the task was almost over. I might be a vampire, but even my energy had a limit and I was about to reach it. The task was really hard, mentally as well as physically, even for a vampire. I realized that this was another reason why so few vampires had fulfilled this task. Now I was almost there, I felt I started to become a bit more reckless. I knew it was stupid, it would be so dumb to still fail while I was this close to bringing the task to a good end, but I just couldn't help it. My body longed for rest, so I gave in to its will, not thinking about the possible consequences anymore. And it seemed that the luck of the Vampire Gods was with me at this very moment, for minutes later I dug my fingernails into the stone ceiling of the cave and let my feet slip from the waterfall, to show that I was really there. I immediately realized how lucky I had been in those last minutes. Without testing the ice even the slightest bit, I had managed to find the strongest patches of ice. It could just as well have become my death, if I hadn't been this lucky. Beneath me, all the vampires in the cave had started applauding and cheering. I smiled. I had done it. I had tamed the Wall of Death. Mika stood up and silenced the crowd of mad vampires. He looked up and without even having to raise his voice the slightest to make me able to understand him, he spoke: "Master Shan, you can come back down now. You've fulfilled the task." I nodded and pulled myself loose from the ceiling. I dropped down, landing safely on my feet, like a cat did, right in front of Mika. "Congratulations," he spoke.

I nodded again. "Thank you."

"One down, four to go."

"Indeed," I smiled. "So, I'd better go rest now, so I can face the next task full of energy."

"Yes," Mika said. "We expect you in the Hall of Princes in exactly 24 hours for your next task."

"I will be there," I said and walked to the exit of the cave where Vanez was waiting to congratulate me.

"Well done Darren," he said. "Good save there when you dropped, but you did became a bit reckless by the end, didn't you."

"Yes, I know. It was stupid and I know what could've happened, but there's no use in thinking about that now. It went well. I did lose myself for a second there, when I fell though."

"As all would have. But the difference between you and the others is that you still recovered and didn't give up in the end. I couldn't have done it any better myself."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment," I joked with a big smile on my face. Vanez threw me a suspicious glance, then saw that I was joking. "About time you go to bed if you start with this kind of jokes, annoying brat of a Vampire Prince." I punched him on his arm, laughing out loud. All the tension that I'd felt during the task and the relief that I had fulfilled it, showed now. I couldn't stop laughing.

Vanez walked all the way to my room. "You get some rest now," he said. "You'll need it. It's the best preparation you can have for the next task. I'll come wake you up when it's time to pull your next task."

"Okay," I spoke, then entered the room, half fell into my hammock and fell asleep immediately.

Note: It might take a while for the next part to come. During the month November I'll be taking part in a writing competition which lasts the entire month. I will put all my time in that competition and this story will have to wait. But I will try to have it ready after the competition as soon as I can.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

I woke up halfway the day. It was nowhere near time to pull my next trial, but I didn't feel tired anymore and couldn't fall back to sleep. I decided to get up and find Vanez. Maybe we could go over the strategies for some trials again. I knew it wouldn't be of much help anymore, but at least it would give me something to keep me busy. I got up and got dressed, after which I left the room. I wondered where Vanez was most likely to be and decided to first check the dining hall. Big chance he was there recounting the story of my first trial. The hall was almost empty. Only a few vampires were sitting at the wooden tables and I immediately saw Vanez wasn't amongst them.  
"Master Shan, there you are," one of them called while he urged me to sit with them. He was huge, his face hidden behind his hair and beard.  
"Hello," I said, not recognizing any of the vampires.  
"Nice way of tackling that trial yesterday," he went on.  
I nodded, not really knowing what to say. I had almost fallen down, been reckless towards the end and only had survived because the luck of the vampire gods had been with me. I would have to be more careful for the next trial. "I don't know," I said. "I…"  
"Oh come on," he interrupted, "don't be this modest. It was awesome. For a while there I thought you were dead meat, but it was a nice save. And then at the end, you made it seem like it was nothing. It was brilliant."  
"Yeah, it was," the other three vampires agreed.  
"Well, thanks… I guess."  
They all smiled widely at me. "Ready for the next one?" the huge vampire asked.  
I nodded. "Actually that's why I came here. I was hoping Vanez would be here. Do you happen to know where he is?"  
"He went off with one of those newbies. Guess he wanted to show them the Hall of Games, if you know what I mean," he winked.  
I smiled. "Yes, well, then I'll go check there. See you." And I hurried of before they could say anything else. I wouldn't disturb Vanez in his fun with the newborn vampire and decided I would just go back to where I should be: the Hall of Princes, on my throne. It occurred to me that would be even better a thing to do, at least it would make me feel normal for a while.  
"Master Shan, I thought you'd still be asleep," Mika said the moment I entered the Hall.  
"I shook my head. I'm awake as can be," I smiled. "Since there's still some time left before my next trial, I'll just take on my normal duties again."  
Mika smiled. "Very well," he said. "We were just discussing a little problem. You came at the right moment."  
"Oh?" I asked, while sitting down.  
"All vampires have arrived, except two."  
"And that's a problem because…?"  
"Because according to their friends, who have arrived in the meantime, they should've been here before them."  
"Oh, that indeed is… a problem."  
"No, seriously?" Rossan said in a sarcastic tone.  
"You shut up," I grunted, then turned back to Mika. "Maybe they decided not to come."  
"We would have known," Mika answered. "I sent out some generals to look for them. But it's difficult. We of course don't know which way they chose and we cannot be sure they even stuck to the paths guiding here. They might have just taken ways that are no official paths. It's difficult to find them."  
"Probably something happened on the way here. Attacked by an animal." I remembered the first time I had come to Vampire Mountain. I had encountered a bear and only merely survived thanks to the help of Little People. But that bear had been infected with vampaneze blood, which made it very savage. An adult vampire should be able to handle any kind of wild animal easily. Mika had noticed my inner debate about the animal-thing.  
"I see you realized yourself that is not possible."  
I nodded. "Only something really bad could have stopped a vampire, I know."  
"You see now why it is a problem, Master Shan?"  
I nodded again. "It _is_ a problem."  
"Your brightness improves every second," Rossan said in the same sarcastic tone.  
"I thought I had told you to shut up."  
"Well, I don't."  
"I can always make you."  
"Guys, keep it decent, would you. We're tackling serious things here. Go finish each other off after we have settled this, please."  
I smiled. "Of course," I said, knowing this was Mika's way of taking my side. Rossan knew it too, because he turned his face away and refused to still debate the problem with us.  
"Do you think something is threatening Vampire Mountain?" I asked, realizing how serious the case was.  
"I hope with all my heart there isn't, but I fear there is."  
"But what?"  
"That, my friend, is what scares me the most… that we don't know."  
"I shouldn't have decided to do the trials while there's trouble ahead of us," I said.  
"Master Shan, you had no way of knowing. The news only reached us about an hour ago."  
"There's a council going on," I said, "as a Prince I should be there for my people, not fighting for my own honour."  
"Master Shan, the council is the moment to do the trials and to fight for your own honour. It is never the wrong time for a bit of action. We have to think about our people now and we must not worry them. The fact that you as a Vampire Prince, are doing this, makes them feel like everything is alright and we should keep it like that by all means until we know for sure what's going on. You couldn't have picked a better time to do this."  
"What? To let himself been finished off? Indeed, it's nowhere near too early."  
"SHUT UP," I yelled, at the very same moment Mika yelled the same words. Rossan turned pale and turned away from us again.  
"There really is no task where I'll have the chance to finish him off?" I asked, a big smile upon my face.  
"Unfortunately not. However, he would make a good boar."  
Rossan threw us a dirty look, but didn't dare speak again. And it was a smart decision, because I felt like I would attack him the second he opened his mouth.  
"Anyway, it is waiting until the generals return now, isn't it? As long as they're not back, there isn't much we can do."  
"Indeed," Mika answered. "We'll just have to wait. In the meantime you can keep us amused with your trials."  
I knew he was still trying to not make me feel guilty about taking the trials at this very moment. I knew he was right. I couldn't have known and the vampires lived for the kind of thing I was doing. Who was I to take it away from them, just because two vampires had not yet arrived. There was no proof at all that anything had happened to them. Maybe they just got delayed on their way here and they would arrive very soon. There was really nothing to worry about yet. Mika was right. I knew that and now accepted that fact. In a way, I liked Rossan's behavior. It gave me even more strength to fulfill those damn trials, only to prove him wrong. I would show him I was a worthy prince, much more than he was. I glanced at him. He looked angry, really angry and that little fact amused me. "Bastard," I murmured and heard Mika chuckle while Rossan looked like he was about to explode, trying very hard not to start yelling at me. Mika and I burst out in laughter at the sight of his face. And it was great to have this little moment of fun amidst the seriousness of the trials. For a while I had completely forgotten about them and it felt great, really great not to have to worry for that little amount of time. Only now I realized what I had actually done by doing the trials and I realized I would be very happy when they would be over and I could sit on the throne I was sitting on now safely again and with proud.


End file.
